1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to outdoor charcoal gas grills, specifically to an improved method of cleaning grease from charcoal briquettes made from lava rock or other substances.
2. Discussion
Cooking food on an outdoor gas grill has long been a favorite pastime for millions of Americans. This activity not only adds a pleasant taste and aroma to the food, but it also allows family members who seldom cook in the kitchen an opportunity to display their cooking skills.
Although cooking on an outdoor gas grill can be fun, relaxing, and enjoyable; it can also be frustrating and a possible health risk. Grease which drips from the meat onto the charcoal briquettes tends to collect in the cracks, cavities, and on the outer side of the briquettes which face the meat. On future occasions when the charcoal grill is used, this grease becomes heated and tends to flare-up causing the meat to burn. Health officials are also concerned that this layer of grease on the charcoal briquettes is a breeding ground for bacteria which could be harmful to those who consume food cooked under these conditions.
Heretofore, health officials and manufactures of gas grills have suggested that between use the user should periodically remove the briquettes from the gas grill, brush each briquette with a stiff wire brush followed by soap and water. Users are further instructed to replace the briquettes into the gas grill, positioning the briquettes so that the side of the briquettes which has just been cleaned faces the gas burner (this is done so that the heat from the burner can help remove any grease which remains on the briquette).
This process is so time consuming and messy that users seldom put forth the time and effort required to perform this cleaning task. Consequently, this exposes the user to the frustration of burned meat caused by flare-ups and a possible health risk from bacteria growing in grease which has collected on the briquettes from previous use.
The present invention provides a simple, reliable, inexpensive method which will help clean the grease from gas grill briquettes, thus helping to make using a gas grill less frustrating and less of a health risk for the user.